Hospitality disappointed at Fort Regent delay

Hospitality leaders have criticised the decision to pause the redevelopment of a leisure centre, saying it is "deeply disappointed, though sadly not surprised" by the move.

The Government of Jersey announced this week that it would explore private investment in the Fort Regent leisure centre project after costs increased beyond the £110m estimate published two years ago.

Ministers are expected to consider the future of the scheme in 2027 while officials assess the cost of essential work and gauge commercial interest in the site.

The Jersey Hospitality Association (JHA) claimed "the vision presented to islanders last year was never matched by a budget that could deliver it".

Infrastructure Minister Deputy Jonathan Renouf did not want to comment on that part of the JHA's statement.

He said: "What I would say is that the Fort has always been a staged project and the funding was always put in place for the first stage, with the question of where the rest of the money would come from, and indeed whether it would be approved or not, left to a later government."

Renouf added: "I think the fundamentals of the Fort are still going ahead, but on a different timescale."

Plans for the Grade I listed building included a 2,500-seat theatre, a 12-lane bowling alley, a six-screen cinema and food and drink venues. The redevelopment had been forecast for completion by 2029.

Renouf said there would need to be an "open re-examination" of the designs.

"What will come out of that I don't think we can say in all honesty because we haven't done the work yet. It needs a proper look at," he said.

"I know it's disappointing. We are still committed though to an ambitious plan for the Fort and the funding for that has to be in place."

The JHA noted officials learned in June that costs had risen enough to materially affect decisions and pointed to the infrastructure minister's acknowledgement of "many years of under-investment in the building".

The organisation said the proposed budget showed only £3.8m of the £26.1m approved for the Fort this year was now expected to be spent. It argued that this was damaging public confidence, business confidence and inward investment.

Renouf said: "The reason there's only £3m in for this year is because it has been postponed.

"Most of the work will happen next year, so obviously that's what happens when you re-profile budgets, when things get delayed."

The association said tourism brought more than £260m into the island every year and repeated its call for destination marketing funding of at least £10m annually.

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